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Business Insurance For Butcher Shops

Compare business insurance quotes for your butcher shop with Savvy today.

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, updated on August 1st, 2023       

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We’ve partnered with BizCover to bring you a range of business insurance policies to help you compare them side by side.

Running a butcher shop involves far more than just serving your loyal customers their favourite beef cuts with a smile on your face. It can also involve lots of heavy lifting and dangerous machinery, which is why business insurance is so important for butchers. 

You can compare quotes for many types of business insurance here with Savvy. Just answer a few simple questions about your business and the insurance you need and you’ll have multiple quotes from a range of respected insurers to compare instantly. Use our quick and easy comparison service to help you get the best value insurance for your butcher shop today. 

What types of insurance should I buy for my butcher shop?

There are several types of business insurance you should consider if you run a butcher shop. These include: 

Product liability insurance 

Product liability insurance can cover you against third-party claims that the food you supplied caused sickness, injury or death. This type of insurance is particularly important for anyone who sells fresh meat or fish, as anything which is consumed carries the risk of bacterial contamination. Cover starts from $250,000 and can be bundled together with public liability and other types of cover into a business insurance package. 

What it covers:  

  1. Claims that a product you supplied (such as your meat) caused sickness or injury 
  2. Other third-party damages claims 
  3. Legal fees to defend yourself against such claims 

Public liability insurance 

Public liability insurance is also essential for anyone who runs any sort of retail business including a butcher shop. It can cover you against claims a member of the public was injured whilst on your business premises or that their property was damaged as a result of your business activity.  

For example, you can be covered if someone should slip or fall in your shop and injure themselves or if a customer’s car is accidentally damaged by one of your delivery trucks. Public liability insurance can offer between $5 million and $20 million worth of coverage and is a compulsory form of insurance to take out many retail shop leases. 

What it covers:  

  1. Third-party personal injury claims 
  2. Damage to a third party’s property 
  3. Legal fees to defend yourself 

General business insurance 

General business insurance may also be worthwhile to protect the equipment and machinery you use in your butcher shop, such as slicing machines and freezers. As well as business equipment insurance, you may also wish to consider an add-on such as glass insurance, which many landlords will insist you hold as part of your shop lease. 

What it covers: 

  1. Fire, storms, theft, vandalism and collision which cause damage to any of your business assets, including your actual shop and its fittings 
  2. Specialist cover for machinery and portable equipment  
  3. Limited business interruption insurance 

Glass insurance 

Glass insurance is usually excluded from a standard business insurance package, which is why it can typically be purchased as an add-on. 

What it covers: 

  1. External glass shopfront breakage 
  2. Glass product display counters 
  3. Illuminated signs 
  4. Destruction of stock or contents caused by broken glass (such as if a display cabinet is smashed) 
  5. The cost of after-hours repairs and express delivery of new glass sheets 

Accident and sickness insurance 

Because you’re working in a high-risk environment, it’s worth considering what might happen to you and your family if you were unable to work for an extended period due to an accident. 

Accident and sickness insurance can provide cover for you if you become unable to work, offering a weekly replacement income and helping you pay your bills if you're injured or suffer a serious accident. 

What it covers: 

  1. Loss of income as a result of an injury or illness 

Optional extras can include: 

  1. Death benefits 
  2. Disablement benefits
  3. Payment of business expenses during your recovery period

What isn’t covered under business insurance for a butcher?  

The most common general exclusions include: 

  • Injury to yourself or your employees 
  • Flood damage 
  • Unlawful activity or criminal negligence 
  • Reckless behaviour or intentional damage 
  • Anything to do with asbestos 
  • The effects of pollution caused by your business activity

How much will business insurance cost?

There is no set cost for an insurance policy, as each applicant is different and faces unique risks. Many factors influence the cost of business insurance, including the following: 

  • The state your shop is in (such as insurance for a Perth business compared to North Queensland) 
  • Whether you live in a rural or urban area 
  • Whether you’re a sole trader, are in a partnership or run a larger business 
  • Your business size and turnover  
  • If you have any employees 
  • Your insurance history 
  • Whether you’ve made an insurance claim in the past five years 

The main factor which will affect the cost of your insurance is the industry you’re in. All businesses in Australia are classified according to the risk their industry poses, and are allocated a risk ratio. These ratios are used by insurers to calculate the comparative risk of any one business compared to another.  

You can find out how much insurance will cost for your business by comparing quotes right here with Savvy. Whether your butcher shop is located in a quiet rural town or a busy suburban shopping centre, you’ll be able to consider a variety of offers all in one place with us. 

Why do I need business insurance?

The reason you need business insurance if you run a butcher shop is because you face multiple risks in your everyday work. There are not only the obvious risks (such as cutting yourself whilst slicing meat) but also the business liability risk of a customer slipping on the floor of your shop and sustaining a serious injury.  There are also risks posed by your staff hurting themselves and bacterial contamination causing a food poisoning outbreak. 

Since you’ve worked so hard to set up your business, it makes sense to protect it and your reputation from anything that can go wrong. Having business insurance offers security in case a covered event takes place. If you have adequate insurance to protect yourself, you’ll stand a much better chance of recovering quickly and getting back to serving your customers with a smile on your face. 

Types of business insurance

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Frequently asked questions about business insurance

What level of public liability insurance will I need for my butcher shop?

This will depend on regulations set by your local council before they issue a food vendors’ permit. Many local councils require $10 million in public liability insurance for all types of businesses which involve retailing food, including cafes and restaurants.  It’s also worth checking with your landlord about what level of cover is required by your lease agreement. 

Do I need business interruption insurance for my butcher shop in case my walk-in freezer breaks down?

Business interruption insurance can help you pay your bills if you’re forced to shut your shop due to an insured event, such as a mechanical breakdown of your freezer or a major power outage. This insurance can be bought quite cheaply as part of a business insurance package. This type of insurance isn’t mandatory for butchers but can offer greater security against certain covered events which interrupt your business’ ability to remain open. 

Are my business insurance premiums tax-deductible? 

The Australian Taxation Office recognises that having business insurance is a legitimate cost of doing business, so the full cost of your insurance premiums can usually be claimed as a business expense, and offset against your income. However, it’s always worth seeking independent tax advice to clarify what you can and can’t claim as a tax deduction.  

What information will I need to make an insurance claim?

The information you should have to hand when you contact your insurance company to make a claim will include: 

  • The name of the policyholder 
  • Your policy number and start date (which can be found on your Certificate of Currency) 
  • A detailed description of the incident (what happened to cause the damage or loss) 
  • Specific dates and times when the incident happened 
  • Contact details of any other parties involved (or witnesses to the event) 
  • Details of your police report number (if a crime took place) 
  • Details of the property lost or damaged (including its age and value)
  • Your bank details for settling the claim 

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Disclaimer:

Savvy is partnered with BizCover Pty Ltd (ABN 68 127 707 975, AFSL 501769) to provide readers with a variety of business insurance policies to compare. Savvy earns a commission from BizCover each time a customer buys a business insurance policy via our website. We don’t arrange for products to be purchased from these brands directly, as all purchases are conducted via BizCover.

Savvy does not compare all business insurance policies or providers currently operating in the market. Any advice presented above or on other pages is general in nature and doesn’t consider your personal or business objectives, needs or finances. It’s always important to consider whether advice is suitable for you before purchasing an insurance policy.

For any further information on the variety of insurers compared by BizCover or how their business works, you can read their Financial Services Guide.

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